After months of public input, the Arlington City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a package of bond projects that will focus on streets, parks, fire facilities and libraries.

The $236 million bond program will go to the voters for their approval in the November 4, 2014 municipal election. Council members have stressed that the projects be paid for without increasing taxes. The projects will be accommodated with the current tax rate of 64.8 cents per $100 property valuation.

The City Council's decision was made following a series of meetings, tours, exhaustive document reviews, public forums and extensive study conducted by a 19-member Citizens' Bond Committee (CBC). The CBC was charged to assess the short-term capital needs of the City of Arlington, and to provide a recommended list of projects and anticipated capital investment necessary to the City Council.

Committee members met weekly throughout April and May and reviewed a great amount of data and feedback ranging from street renovations to fire facility improvements. After the CBC's recommendations were endorsed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council considered the recommendations during several meetings in June. Passage of the $236 million bond package would fund:

Public Works & Transportation: $160,130,000

• $40 Million toward the reconstruction of residential streets throughout the City
• Improvements to sidewalks, gutters, underground drainage in targeted areas
• Reconstruction of several major roadways throughout the City
• Realign New York/Eden intersection; add connection north of Webb Lynn Road
• Annual contract for testing of materials and methods during construction
• Add Texas U-turn for NB Bowen to SB Bowen at I-20
• Annual contract to relocate/repair irrigation in conflict with project construction

Parks & Recreation: $60,000,000

• Construction of new recreation center facility in southeast Arlington
• Rebuild Hugh Smith Recreation Center and integrate with new East Library
• Install lighted soccer fields, concessions, restrooms and parking lots at Harold Patterson Sports Center
• Renovations at several City of Arlington parks
• Complete priority renovations identified in the Ditto Golf Course Renovation Plan
• Acquisition of park land in highest priority service gap areas

Fire Department: $9,780,000

• Rebuild of Station 1
• Fire Training Center remodel

Libraries: $6,090,000

• Woodland West remodel
• Library portion of Hugh Smith Recreation Center/East Library